Florist refused to deliver flowers to grieving mum who lost her baby because they were ‘too scared to go to her travellers’ site’

eFlorist customer Lindsey Roberts spent £50 on a gift to her distraught friend - but a local florist refused to carry out the order

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By Stephen Moyes and Neal Baker

12th March 2018, 12:43 pm

Updated: 13th March 2018, 1:51 am

AN online flower delivery service failed to send out an order to a grieving mum whose baby had died — because the florist did not want to go to a travellers' site.

Online retailer eFlorist told Lindsey Roberts, 36, that her £50 order to a close friend had been refused because because staff "did not feel comfortable" visiting the address.

SWNS:South West News Service

eFlorist customer Lindsey Roberts said her £50 order for a grieving friend could not be delivered because they lived in a travellers' site

Lindsey, a mum of five, believes that the act is discriminatory against people from travelling backgrounds.

She said: “I placed the order on February 22 as a small gesture to my friend.

“It included some flowers and a teddy, and I never thought that there would be any issues when I submitted the order and entered the address, part of a permanent site near Bicester, Oxfordshire.

“I was shocked and disappointed when I was told that I would have to go and collect my money because the local florist didn’t want to carry out the order."

SWNS:South West News Service

Lindsey, 36, said eFlorist had shown discrimination - but the firm said it was down to an individual floritst that chose not to make the delivery

Lindsey added: “I asked why and it’s because they said they feared for their personal safety, which is ridiculous.

“I cannot believe that this company have refused to take my money.

“It was a kind gesture for a friend who has just lost her baby.

“She’s hardly going to jump someone for delivering her flowers. It’s discriminatory and racist that they would refuse”

Lindsey has complained to the retailer which told her in an email: “The reason the flowers were not delivered was due to the florist themselves actually not feeling comfortable with going due to personal safety reasons.

“The idea that this is due to racism or discrimination is not true, and this does not reflect the view of neither the florist themselves or eFlorist as a company.”

I asked why and it’s because they said they feared for their personal safety, which is ridiculous

Lindsey Robertscustomer

A spokesperson from eFlorist said: "We are sorry that we have failed to live up to the expectations of the customer.

"eFlorist uses its partner network of local florists around UK for same day delivery of flowers, and the florist choose their delivery area.

"Unfortunately, this order was placed to an area where we did not have coverage by a florist in our network. We tried to find an independent florist who could make delivery, but there was not such a florist.

"We take any allegations about discrimination very seriously and have started an investigation to see if there was any wrong doing by any of our partner florists.

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